The Sand and the Sea
by feyfollower
Summary: Oneshot. Hook/Aurora. She was the Queen of the sands and he was the Captain of the seas. Their stories had connected once briefly, but their futures would be forever entangled. "If I give it back to you now will you stay here with me darling?" "Do you actually want to know the answer?" How can those of the sand and those of the sea stay together?


The Sand and the Sea

_AN at end._

_PS. This is not a happy-ever-after story._

She was queen of the sands and he captain of the seas.

The path their lives took would always bring them into contact with one another, like waves upon the sand. The first time they had met he had had vengeance in his heart and hers was filled with sorrow. They had barely paid attention to each other then. He was a fanatic and she was consumed with sorrow. They were each leading their own lives, barely aware of the impact their lives and decisions made on others.

It was their cycle. It seemed their lives were forever entwined together. She was queen of the sands and he captain of the seas. The path their lives took would always bring them into contact, but like the waves upon the sand they would always be parted by fate.

The first time they meet each other they had both been searching. She had been searching for the truth of her love and he had been searching for revenge for his love.

They hadn't been pulled apart, they had never really been in contact long enough for their presence to really affect the paths their lives had taken… except of course when he stole her heart.

Later Hook would say that they had captured Fate's attention when he had stolen and saved her heart. Aurora would reply that when she realised her heart had been taken she had vowed that she would never give her heart away quite so easily again and the moment her heart had been returned to her she had sworn to herself to cherish and guard her heart all the more.

Their first meeting was overwhelmed by the events they were caught up in.

They did not regard each other as people of importance, it was only years later that they would realise how tightly their lives were entwined.

"Still awake then darling?" Aurora turned her head towards the tavern entrance and the figure slouching silhouetted in the doorway. She did not recognise the voice itself, but as she watched she saw a glint of silver.

"Hook." She whispered.

"Hello love, miss me did you?" He asked dryly as he stepped out from the shadows.

She let her gaze rest upon him for a moment, her eyes taking in his dark clothing, unshaved chin and the slightest spark in his eyes before shaking her head softly and turning away from the tavern's entrance.

"Wait, slow down there Princess." He called after her, striding towards her retreating figure, catching her shoulder and forcibly twisting her around to face him. Her eyes were hardened as she turned to look at him again.

"You were going to go into the tavern." It wasn't a question, and they both knew her sudden silence was a non-committal answer.

"Why?" He demanded.

Her gaze suddenly became uncertain and Hook's eyes narrowed as he desperately tried to quell the sudden curiosity that sprang unbidden in his heart.

"I was searching for a ship." She kept her answer short and as he looked at her they both knew she was trying to avoid giving him a direct answer. He gestured with his hook for her to continue and ignored the tightening of his heart as a brief flash of fear passed through her eyes. Then suddenly she straightened before him, pushing her shoulders back and lifting her chin in what he could only assume was an act of defiance. In that moment he suddenly understood why she was a Princess, only a child bred for royalty would know how to command the attention of others quite so strongly.

"I have not given up on Philip."

The statement was simple and still brief but it explained everything.

"I see, so you're trying to find something far from your comfort zone then darling?"

"I am not sure I have a 'comfort zone' anymore Hook. Unless you believe twenty-eight years of sleep deems my dreams my comfort zone. My life has not been comfortable or simple." He gazed down at her, neither refuting nor agreeing with her assessment. Alive for sixteen years before being cursed to sleep for a further twenty-eight years and within hours of her awakening the man she had loved was taken from her and now, even five years later, she was still searching for him.

"No, I suppose it hasn't been simple darling. But don't compare your life to mine or anyone else's here Princess. Everyone has their own story to tell. Just because someone doesn't voluntarily tell their story doesn't mean they don't have one or that they haven't faced as many hardships as your highness." He bowed to her mockingly and as he rose he noticed a look of guilt upon her face.

The wind suddenly whistled strongly around him, favourable wind. He didn't know how long it would last. His ship needed to sail, now.

"Some of us just refuse to tell our stories."

He began to walk away from her, leaving her in the middle of the street, alone and motionless, her ivory shawl bright against the darkness of the nights sky, the houses, the street and himself.

He called out to her without turning back,

"Captain Ashforth has a sturdy ship love; he should be able to help you find your Prince."

The space behind him was silent but Hook refused to look back at her. He did not see her eyes follow him till he was out of sight, nor did he see her turn her face towards the ground, her eyebrows drawn together as she whispered the name he had given her.

"Captain Ashforth."

The wind blew strongly as the clouds in the sky thundered overhead.

"Pirates!"

The shout was muffled by the thickness of the door but still audible. Aurora turned to the door, listening intently; trying to hear something that would tell her what was going on. She gasped as she suddenly heard the clash of metal from beyond the door, there was no place for her to hide where she was, but she still had a large knife hidden from prying eyes.

Fumbling Aurora bent to the floorboards of the ship, dislodging one with difficulty. Reaching into the darkness her hand groped around, searching for the hilt of the knife.

Her hand grasped the handle tightly just as the door was thrown open. With swiftness neither she nor her attacker had expected she had jumped to her feet with the knife in hand and held it out towards the pirate.

Her heart was beating so fast it felt like it was thrumming in her chest, but she held herself steady, never shaking. She could see the pirate had a sword by his side but he did not reach for it as he turned from the room and yelled.

"Captain! In the brig."

As the footfalls beat upon the wood of the ship, drawing closer to the room she was in, she felt a sense of longing and hope for Hook. Although he was a pirate Captain, he would be the only one she would consider trusting, even then it would be a half-hearted trust forced by circumstances.

She saw the hook before looking into his face, but the flash of metal was enough for her to know that it was Hook.

"Aurora?"

She frowned slightly realising that he had actually used her proper name.

The next moment though he had smirked and they were back on the same page.

"Searching for taverns and now aboard a pirate ship my, you are out of your comfort zone. I told you to sail with Ashforth, what happened?"

She frowned at his disapproving tone, replying tersely.

"I did. Two weeks ago a pirate ship came upon us and the Captain," She hesitated for the slightest of moments before continuing, "Gave Ashforth the choice, the loss of his ship or me."

"So here you are." Hook finished for her. Aurora lowered the blade of her knife marginally, was that guilt in his voice?

"Better come aboard my ship darling. There are pirates there too, but they know how to treat guests.

She did not move.

"You have my word, Princess." He rolled his eyes.

"That's not saying much, you suggested Ashforth to me last time we met." The accusing tone slipped from her voice, but his expression did not waver. He actually smiled.

"The choice is yours love, stay here or come with me."

She lowered her knife, shoulders falling as she exhaled. He smirked before turning and walking from the brig, she followed him at the pirate's gesture.

Of all the people locked in the brig, he had never really expected to see the sleep addled Princess. He had let her actual name slip from his lips, cursing himself as it did. It was slightly disconcerting to realise that it was his fault she had ended up in the brig and been there for two weeks.

Her delicate appearance had wavered. Her once unblemished pure alabaster skin was filthy and her cheeks appeared somewhat sallow. Her crown was gone, lost or more likely stolen. He hadn't needed to look at it too closely to know that it was of great value; any decent pirate would recognise its worth and sell it on at port. And yet, despite the loss of her crown and her tarnished appearance she still exuded the same air of dignity and refinement that he had encountered in their two previous meetings.

He walked across the plank connecting the two ships, jumping back aboard his own deck. Turning back he saw the Princess slowly, tentatively edging across the plank.

She slipped violently before finding her balance again, but not before Hook saw purple bruises blotched on her arms.

His hook suddenly felt like iron, so heavy he just wanted it to fall.

She reached the Jolly Rodger and looked at him with wide eyes, silently asking him what was going to happen to her.

Truth be told, Hook didn't know what he was going to do with a Princess aboard his ship. He hadn't really considered anything beyond getting her aboard the Jolly Rodger. But as she stepped aboard his ship his crew swept their eyes over her, weighing her up. He knew what was going through their minds; the same thoughts had traversed his own mind. It was bad luck to bring a woman aboard a ship, especially one who was queen of the sands. He was provoking fate and he knew it.

Smee bowed low to her and although she smiled slightly, it seemed forced. He took her below deck to a cabin and out of sight.

Several of his crew muttered rebellious thoughts, more out of frustration than actual rebellion.

"Well, back to work then mates!" He shouted.

"Let's leave these incumbent pirates to their ship!" His crew let out a loud raucous cheer as Hook strode towards the helm of the ship and took the wheel, directing the Jolly Rodger from the other ship, whose crew had been bound and gagged and left below deck.

Hook had taken her aboard his ship mere days ago. She had spent hours trying to understand why he had taken her aboard. Thoughts kept running through her mind and she did her best to ignore them but they seemed to fester in her mind.

There were moments she feared he would kill her or enslave her before the next moment she would believe him her protector and that he would help her in her journey to save Philip.

She never slept aboard the ship – she had never really slept since being awoken with Philips kiss. Not deep sleep anyway, the few hours she let herself sleep were fitful and she would awaken at the smallest of sounds. To avoid sleep she came on deck every night and would find herself pacing around the deck.

She felt trapped on the ship.

She had no space to run on the ship. Living in the sands there had been plenty of space, some would argue too much, but Aurora had always loved the open dunes of sand that seemed to beckon to her, calling her. Aboard Hook's ship she felt stifled; her pacing was continuous and monotonous.

One night she had been leaning over the railing, searching for the reflections of the stars in the swelling see, sure that if it were not for the sudden onslaught of dark clouds they would be visible, when a voice, a frustratingly familiar voice, spoke aloud breaking the silence of the night.

"So you're the ghost of the ship." Sighing she craned her neck around, looking behind her to see Hook standing in the middle of the deck.

"The night man in the crow's-nest has been convinced we have a ghost aboard our ship. He's been spreading stories to anyone who'll listen, making most of them up by the look of it." Aurora rolled her eyes to the sky, seeing dark clouds crowding stars and blocking them out as the wind began to rise.

"So I told him I would replace him tonight and lo-, what do I find but you, Princess? Taverns, pirates, ghosts; you are making a new name for yourself aren't you?" She could hear the smirk in his voice.

But, she refused to respond to the flippant tone in his voice.

She stood at the railing, her shawl being tugged from her shoulders by the growing wind. Finally he spoke again.

"What happened to your crown love?"

"Diadem." She corrected automatically. Mulan used to make the same mistake. Crowns were larger, heavier and those who wore them were responsible for kingdoms and thousands of people. Diadems were delicate tiaras, adornment until a crown was bestowed.

"What happened to your diadem then love?"

Her eyes remained on the sea as she spoke, an unconscious lilt of sorrow and longing in her voice.

"The Captain took it when he forced me aboard. The ship came to land three days later and he sold it within minutes…. He said he made enough money to feed his crew for a year."

She turned to face Hook.

"Why do you ask? Are you upset you didn't get the chance to seize it for yourself?" Her voice rose.

The laughter had died from his face the way he looked at her though; he seemed to be looking into her soul. She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, not allowing her eyes to look into his or anywhere near him. Swallowing stiffly she apologised.

"I didn't mean that. You saved me and helped me when no one else did and I _am _deeply thankful. I suppose I'm just tire-"

"Tired?" Her gaze snapped back to him, noticing his furrowed eyebrows.

"You are not tired love. You have remained awake every night since you came aboard." He began to walk slowly towards her and shivers ran along her arms.

"I don't know how you haven't collapsed, but I guess twenty-eight years of sleep make up for more than a couple of days – or has it been longer than that?" She found it strange to note that he had remembered the number of years she had spent asleep. He seemed to see something in her face and continued.

"It has been longer than a couple of days then? How long? Months, years? Why do you not sleep? Are you afraid?"

"I have faced far more dangers awake than asleep Hook. I am not afraid." Her tone was steadfast, honest and true. He stood right before her, looking down at her with his dark eyes.

"I know you're afraid. Afraid to talk, to reveal your monsters-"

"They aren't monsters!" She near-shouted, turning back to face the churning sea, missing the hardening of his gaze.

"You dream of Philip."

She clenched her eyes closed, trying to ignore his voice, to not let her thoughts drift to Philip. She would not let the pirate see her pain. A tear drifted down her cheek as a light sprinkling of rain began to fall from the skies.

"You shouldn't be afraid of your dreams darling… They allow you to see him again, isn't that a blessing? You can live a life with him. You can touch him again-"

"But I can't. Not really." She whispered as rain began to fall.

"Love, I welcome sleep… it means I can see," He hesitated a moment before continuing, "Milah again. I can talk with her and dance with her again. It means I can say everything I never got to say to her. Sometimes I wish…" He trailed off and lifted his head to the sky and the falling rain, closing his eyes.

Aurora turned back to him, rain matting her hair to her forehead as she tentatively reached a hand out to his sole remaining hand, but before their skin made contact the ship was thrown to one side as a wave hit the hull with a deafening roar. Aurora was thrown back against the railing, hitting the wood and gasping in pain.

The stillness of the night was ripped apart as waves matching the height of the crows-nest began to slam into the ship. Hook ran to the ships wheel as the rain thundered onto the deck.

"Get up you scurvy dogs, if you want to see the daylight of tomorrow. LET'S PLAY!" He roared.

Aurora stayed at the railing, her fingers crushing the wood holding on tight. Crewmates began to stream from below deck, running to their posts, slipping on the soaked decks and climbing the rigging as Hook continued to yell instructions.

"Princess, you'd best get below deck!" He shouted to her. Aurora opened her mouth to reply but was hit by a wave that plunged against the hull and over the railing. She spluttered for air as her feet were thrown out from under her and she was sent sliding along the deck. Climbing to her feet, Aurora threw herself towards the cabin door but her attention was pulled away from the door as a wave higher than the ships mast rose on the starboard side seeming to taunt her for a moment before plummeting towards her.

Aurora didn't have the air to scream.

She was swept off the deck and thrown into the roaring dark waters.

It was only as the storm began to settle and fade that Hook left the wheel for the cabins below. He was sure he would find a distressed and timid Princess in the cabin. When he entered the cabin to no sound he remained unconcerned, sure she was curled up in some corner with tears streaming down her face. He walked round the entirety of the cabin and did not find her. He began to second guess his expectations. Maybe he was wrong? Maybe she wasn't in tears or broken down? It may be she had already moved from the cabin, so the question remained where would she have gone on the ship? Even as these questions rose in his mind darker thoughts began to sneak into his mind.

Twenty minutes was all he needed to search the ship and realise in full certainty that those dark thoughts seemed to have materialised.

Princess Aurora was not on the ship; which could only mean she was most likely in the sea.

His eyes swept over the sea, unconsciously searching for the Princess even if he knew she was gone. The sea was a cruel and heartless mistress with no mercy. Such a delicate desert flower would never survive the crashing waves of the sea.

He wanted to forget her, to forget the way she had looked at him with such sorrow on her face. He wanted to forget the banter she had opened herself up to. Most of all though he wanted to forget the way she had reached for his remaining hand as he remembered Milah, because he had seen her small hand slowly move towards his before the storm had hit. His eyes had not been closed. How anyone could close their eyes when such beauty was before them he would never understand.

Whilst his mind screamed for him to forget her, his heart begged for him to remember her.

Milah would forever be remembered because of his hook but he wanted to remember Aurora, he needed something to remember her by….

She lay on the stone slab Philip had woken her from staring into the sky, taking long protracted blinks.

Her mind was more or less blank, occasional wisps of thought broke the silence, but she tried to keep it discernibly blank because she knew what she would think of if given half the chance… and it wasn't Philip…

She let out a wistful sigh, letting her eyelids close.

Ever since the night of the storm, so many things had changed.

Some part of her was resistant to the changes that had occurred, and yet another part of her had become awfully dependent on the changes, almost like her old dependency on Philip.

Philip…

Just thinking his name caused a swelling rush of guilt to flood through her heart. She would think of him and her mind would conjure an image of him, but after all these years it seemed her mind was losing its sight. She could no longer remember the exact slanting of his jawline or the once familiar shade of his hair. Admitting it to herself had been horrible, and what was worse was the growing doubt in her heart. She was beginning to doubt her love for Philip.

When she had first realised this she had fallen to her knees sobbing and whimpering in despair in the middle of her castle.

She, Aurora, one of the strongest advocates of true love no longer wholeheartedly believed in her true love.

Because what was true love if not unquestioning belief and steadfast faith to someone?

Even now she would think on it and her chest would tighten.

She wanted to return to her unwavering love for Philip and her belief in true love. She was frightened she was losing her faith in true love.

Suddenly she felt a pressure on her lips.

A kiss.

Aurora shot up from the stone slab, her eyes locking instantly onto the figure hovering above her recognition flooding through her before flinging herself from the stone slab and running as fast as her skirts would allow her to.

She expected some response from him, some scathing or sarcastic shout, but she fled in silence, running from her refuge.

She knew he would find her. She knew he would look. She just needed time to understand what had happened.

She ended up curled at the base of one of the walls in a tower, her heart beating so fast it was almost painful.

She was angry; angry at him for kissing her, angry at him for having intruded on her peaceful solitude in the sands. She was just angry at him for being here, because he shouldn't be here; it was wrong. He was a pirate he belonged on the ocean, definitely not stranded on her sands.

She leant her head back against the wall, staring at the ornate ceiling.

He shouldn't have kissed her like that. It was an exact imitation of the way Philip had kissed her. It was just like the kiss of life that Philip had given her.

All her anger at him began to dissipate, if anything she was angry at herself.

She had liked the pressure of his lips as she lay on the stone slab.

It had reminded her so much of Philip's lips and his kiss but there had been something more to it. His kiss had been much deeper and coarser. Her frustration began to turn towards herself, driving inward, digging into her mind.

"I thought I was going mad when I saw you lying on that slab, love."

It didn't take long for her eyes to find his figure leaning against the nearest pillar and although his body was relaxed and at ease; his eyes were looking at her curled on the floor with unusual solemnity.

Aurora pulled her eyes from him, turning them to the floor and looking at the marble diamond pattern she found there. Anything was better than looking at him.

"For a moment, when I saw you lying there… for a moment I actually didn't think I'd mind going mad." She made her eyes focus on the veins in the marble, near black veins in the grey diamond and for the smallest of moments she pictured the same pattern of veins protruding against a man's neck. She pulled her focus back to the marble before allowing her mind to distinguish which man it was.

It was silent for the longest time before Hook finally spoke again.

"Strange as it seems darling, I didn't come here to talk to myself."

"Then why did you come?" Her voice rasped from her throat, finally lifting her head and looking at him.

"Clearly you didn't know I was here. So what were you coming to do in my castle?" Aurora rose from the floor, standing tall.

"Were you going to raid it for valuables? Steal my gold and jewels? Strip the castle of anything of VALUE?" Her chest was heaving as she stood before, strong as any queen. She didn't even flinch as his hand reached to his side, towards his sword, too caught up in the thought of him raiding her castle.

But as he held his hand towards her, she lost all her fighting strength.

He was holding her diadem in his hand.

"I came here to return it, love. I was going to leave it in the castle, where it belongs. I didn't think you would want it in the hands of some corrupt innkeeper or cruel pir-"

"You brought it back…" She whispered, swallowing. Her eyes lifted from the metal in his hand to look him in the eyes.

"I wanted something to remember you by."

She smiled at him and he felt his heart simultaneously contract joyfully and expand so it felt it would no longer fit inside his chest. He held out her diadem, waiting for her to take it. Instead she pushed it back towards him.

"You keep it."

"Darling, if this was a large, ornate crown I would have no problem keeping and wearing it. As it is though love, I cannot wear this crown, and it would not be safe aboard my ship. I am aware I am fearsome to you, but my ship is raided as often as any other. This, would be stolen."

"Keep it as something to remember me by."

"Remember you? Love, you're standing before me, you are here with me now. I don't need anything to remember you by."

He frowned as she turned away from him, her features suddenly marred with sadness.

"You are here with me, aren't you? I'm not going mad." He reached out for her arm and clenched it tightly.

"I can touch you; I can feel your skin warm beneath mine. You are here, love. You have to be here." He released her arm and gently stroked her cheek, which heated to blush a faint pink as a tear escaped her eye.

"My heart is here, with you."

He looked at her in horror, his eyes wide darting in their sockets as he desperately listened to her.

"It always has been. You stole it remember?"

"But it was given back to you. You got your heart back." He replied frantically.

"Most of it…. You will always have a part of my heart Killian." He realised she had used his name.

"If I give it back to you now will you stay here with me darling?" She smiled wistfully, shaking her head,

"You know it doesn't work like that." He closed his eyes and rubbed his hand over his face before looking up to see her looking away from him, pure anguish on her face.

He pulled her towards him wrapping his arms around her tightly, careful not to snag his hook on her clothing.

"Will you stay with me?"

"I will stay as long as I can."

They remained in each others embrace, holding each other tight, finding comfort in the silence.

"If I give you _my_ heart, will you stay with me forever?"

She didn't reply, simply remaining silent in his arms, holding him close and he knew the answer.

"Love, are you just a vision of madness I have created or are you actually here somehow?"

She looked at him seriously,

"Do you actually want to know the answer?"

"No." The stayed by each others side for the rest of the night.

The following day Killian Jones awoke alone leaning against a wall, his hand still clutching Aurora's diadem.

The crew of the Jolly Rodger had been waiting at dock for a month without Hook. For the first three weeks they had been perfectly content to stay, they had found women aplenty and great opportunities (read: gambling) to try their luck at increasing their loot. By the last week the sea in their blood was beginning to swirl. Many missed the open ocean, the blowing winds and the challenge of a storm; they were itching to return to the sea. So when Captain Hook finally returned and shouted for them to prepare to sail they welcomed his return with a great roar of approval that shook the docks. Only the crows nest night watchman seemed intrigued by the chest Hook held as he climbed aboard.

The night of their departure heralded heavy snores from every crewmate, the rocking of the ship swaying them into deep sleeps. The night was calm with soothing waves. So by around 2am the night watchman of the crows nest, had scurried down the mast for a piss. As he stood at the rear of the ship he heard a splash. Turning he saw a small chest bobbing in the water parallel to the ship and he saw light glowing from the Captain's quarters.

Without thinking and acting on instinct, the crewman hastily tied a rope around his waist and nearby cannon before diving into the water towards the sinking chest.

It didn't take him long to reach the chest, which was sinking rather slowly, catching ahold of the chest he began to climb his way back up the ship with the rope.

By the time he fell upon the deck he was shivering and his fingers were having trouble holding onto the chest.

Kneeling on the deck the night watchman of the crow's nest was about to bring the chest back to Hook but upon looking back to the Captain's cabin he saw that the previous light had gone and the ship remained in silence.

Against sense the crewman turned back to the chest and, almost unconsciously his hands fumbled with the clasp on the chest to unlock it.

Raising the lid the crewman stared into the chest.

He did not touch anything. In fact he did not move.

After a few moments the night watchman closed the lid, sealing the clasp again. He wrapped a length of rope around the chest before lifting the chest and throwing it overboard again. He took a great breath of sea air before crawling up the mast and returning to his post.

The Jolly Rodger continued to sail along the ocean as the chest slide deeper into the ocean, sinking to the sand and no one would see the diadem and the heart encased together in the chest.

The chest sunk to the bottom of the sea where it touched the sea and the sand at the same time. For it is only in death that those of the sea and those of the sand can truly be together.

It was only at the bottom of the sea that the Queen of the sands and the Captain of the seas finally found their eternal peace.

_AN;__ So this is going to sound like an insane confession, but I have actually only ever seen one episode of OUAT, (1.17 I think it was, where they introduced the Mad Hatter & wow Sebastian Stan, bloody brilliant… but don't get me started on his acting). But I became addicted and utterly OBSESSED with this pairing through a series of beautifully executed YouTube videos: _

_- Burdens: by the teacuptheory_

_- Damned by Light: by NickJ4me_

_- Shot in the Dark: by hbowlergirl1_

_- This is Dangerous: by mari _

_I urge any fans of this pairing to check these vids out; they are gorgeous & each provided inspiration for this. Sorry if the characters seem slightly OOC or if things are a bit off. But I must say this is an amazing pair to have captured my 'otp heart' without me even having seen them in their show. _

_As to those waiting for 'The Princes' to be updated. Sorry for the wait, but I am pleased to say I have three chapters being written at the same time, so there should be a pretty good series of updates coming soon, but I cannot say how soon. _

_Teasers: madness, growth, vision._


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